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A few free amp sims that I think sound quite nice: [url="http://www.mcrow.net/Preamp%20Emulator%20VST.htm"]Musicrow Preamp Emulator[/url] [url="http://rekkerd.org/fretted-synth/"]Helian Bass[/url] - there's a lot of stuff on that page; the link I'm talking about is the 15th one down. The top one, 3rd Bass, is new to me but might be worth a look as well. And while we're here, the FreeAmp guitar sims are great too. Perhaps not so much for, say, a classic blues tone, but for crazier sounds I think they're pretty cool.

Really great stuff . Definitely going to be spending some time in the articles section!

Thanks guys, this is all really helpful stuff. Much appreciated.

So here's a video of Bryan Beller playing along to Freak Show Excess by Steve Vai: I've been experimenting with different techniques to try and get something close to his sound when the tune kicks in at 0:20 - it's that kind of thumping effect, almost like he's hitting the strings rather than plucking them - but I'm struggling. I don't understand how you do it hard enough to get the requisite amount of attack, yet soft enough to avoid the vibrating strings clanking off the frets (and the setup on my bass is ok - I had it done not long ago, and I like the action reasonably high anyway). Here's another example of the kind of thing I've got in mind; it's the isolated bass track from Suck My Kiss by the Red Hot Chili Peppers: It sounds like he's playing really hard and aggressively, but there's no fret rattle at all. What am I missing? Any help or technique advice gratefully received.

You might consider checking out "Improve Your Groove" by Patrick Pfeiffer. I've got it and I really rate it. It sets out to solve exactly the problem you describe. From the author's intro: "I wrote this book because, even after extensive musical training, I found it difficult to create my own grooves without copying my bass heroes note for note. So I embarked on a musical journey to find the secret to what makes a great groove... well... great." There are a few pdf sample pages [url="http://www.bassbooks.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=695&bc=no"]here[/url].

Glad to hear you're on the mend mate . That can't have been any fun at all. I've just had a look at the ACM info and it really doesn't give you much to go on does it? It's been 12 years *cringe* since I did mine so I may be miles off, but I found there was a big difference between the level of ability needed to pass the audition and the level of ability needed to thrive on the course. There were some staggeringly good guitarists who started with me and I remember thinking at the time, surely you must be really bored being told to practise pentatonic scales all over again? In the end though, they were the ones who managed to keep up just fine (and still find time to do some socialising!) because they already had all the foundations well and truly in place. I remember having to give up on most of the jazz classes because I couldn't find the time to learn all the arpeggios and extra scales [i]and[/i] learn to apply them musically as well. That being said though, you've got more than enough time imho. Spending from now to September really cracking on with this stuff should set you up for a brilliant year if you choose to do it, even more so if you're going primarily to enjoy yourself. If you're seriously considering it, it would probably be worth heading over and having a look round - forget the open days, just strike up a conversation with the people smoking outside the front door and you'll be able to get the lowdown right from the horse's mouth!

Not bass, but I did the year long diploma course at the guitar institute (which is now the ICMP) after I left school. It was great and I learned a hell of a lot, but truthfully I wasn't really good enough to be there and I don't think I should have passed the audition in the first place. Assuming the basic process hasn't changed too much since I was there, I think the most important thing you're going to need is the ability to learn things quickly. I was practising pretty much solidly all the way to bedtime, every day, trying to keep up with all the stuff they were throwing at us, and even then I just got completely snowed under by the end. Constant guitar all day every day burned me out and I didn't play again seriously for almost a year after finishing. If you decide to go for it, you should give yourself a head start by learning all the theory you can, getting your sight reading up to speed and working hard on your ear training and technique. All important stuff that you'll have to do anyway when you're there, but learning it is pretty mechanical and if you've got it all down by the time you start it will really free you up to focus on the important stuff (i.e. performance, gigging with some good bands and actually putting the theory to work), and you won't be stressing about remembering scales and arpeggios just before you're about to go on stage and start using them! Also have plenty of live experience - I hadn't done all that much when I arrived and it was seriously intimidating having to get up and play a song, unrehearsed, in front of a roomful of musicians who were intensely scrutinising every note! Also (and again things may have changed) you're likely to be in demand if you're a good player and a quick study. There were never enough bassists to go around when I was there. Tons of playing experience available if you want it . So it's A LOT of work. Think about whether you're seriously committed to focusing solely on playing music with such intensity (I wasn't, sad as that is to admit), because you won't have time to do much else. The tuition was amazing - at the time, people like Dave Kilminster and Shaun Baxter were teaching there, and having constant access to all that knowledge and experience was just inspiring. I still have really good memories of some of those lessons. What do you hope to get out of it? Are you looking to turn it into a career?

For what it's worth I think you'd be fine having a go at it yourself. The thing to remember, [i]especially[/i] if you're having a go at the truss rod, is only to make VERY SMALL adjustments. No heaving on it like you're changing a tyre . The [url="http://www.fender.com/en-GB/support/articles/bass-guitar-setup-guide/"]Fender bass setup guide[/url] is really good.

I tried soaking my (ahem, two year old) strings in meths for the first time the other day, and I was really pleased with the results - it's made a huge difference to the sound and feel, and I haven't had any tuning or intonation problems since they went back on. They still look a bit gunky though, so next time I'm going to see if a gentle pre-soak scrub using the meths and an old toothbrush makes even more of a difference .

I generally seem to announce myself on forums by barging into the middle of discussions and then wondering why everyone pointedly ignores me, so I thought I'd try and be a bit more polite about it this time . I've been lurking for a bit and I figured it was way past the time to say hello to all the people whose posts I've been stalkerishly reading for the last few months. I'm 30 and I currently live in the musical mecca that is rural North Wales. I've played guitar for about 15 years and kinda dabbled on bass for about three, but I've found myself leaving the guitar alone more and more these days. I still love it, but I'm starting to think I've taken it as far as I want to go. I'm a long way from being even a halfway competent bassist though. It's been well over a year since I played with a band, and I've really lost touch with live music in general. Getting involved here is hopefully the first step towards rectifying that .